09sep

South Florida

The Eat Beat

MiamiMiami International Airport unveiled its new international arrivals facility in August. The three-level, 40,000-square-foot section is accessible via airtrain and includes a 72-lane passport control area that can process 2,000 passengers per hour. Six lanes are dedicated to serving members of Global Entry, the government program that offers expedited screening for accredited travelers.

B Hotels & Resorts has new properties planned for first-quarter 2013. The 253-room B South Beach will replace the current Continental Oceanfront South Beach Hotel after undergoing a renovation and brand repositioning. The property will have 3,000 square feet of indoor and 5,000 square feet of outdoor meeting space. The second hotel will be under the b2 brand and will feature 243 guest rooms, a spa, a fitness center and a lounge, in addition to about 2,000 square feet of function space.

The 179-room James Royal Palm will begin welcoming guests late this year with two swimming pools, several dining options, a full-service spa and more than 10,000 square feet of meeting space.

Following $45 million in renovations, the Ritz Plaza Hotel reopened in June as the SLS Hotel South Beach. The newly revamped property has 140 guest rooms, including 10 villas. There is no dedicated function space at present, but planners can use various spaces around the hotel for meeting and event purposes, including the 7,935-square-foot pool deck.

In January, the 243-room St Regis Bal Harbour opened with a spa, a fitness center and approximately 11,200 square feet of meeting space. For dining, guests can enjoy the creations of renowned chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten at the J&G Grill.

The Doral Hotel & Country Club has become the Trump Doral Golf Resort & Spa, after the mogul purchased the property for $150 million in February. The resort has 693 guest rooms, a 48,000-square-foot spa with 33 treatment rooms, and 90,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 24,000-square-foot ballroom. A series of upgrades will be made to the hotel through next fall.

The Mayfair Hotel & Spa recently began a renovation of its 179 guest rooms, which will be decked out with new furniture and bedding by this fall. The property features 15,000 square feet of event space.

Marlins Park, home to the Miami Marlins major league baseball team, officially opened this April with a capacity for 37,000 people. During games, planners can rent out private suites or the Clevelander, a 4,000-square-foot field-level venue, for events.

The 56-room Tempo Hotel Miami has become the Casa Moderna Miami Hotel & Spa. The property has approximately 6,000 square feet of meeting space and a fitness center.

The Shelborne South Beach completed a $20 million renovation in January that covered all 150 guest rooms and 20 suites. Added were a new art deco porte cochere and a heated infinity pool. The hotel has three ballrooms, ranging from 1,515 to 4,915 square feet, plus an ocean-view terrace.

Benchmark Hospitality International is now managing the One Bal Harbour Resort & Spa. The 124-room property includes more than 10,000 square feet of meeting space and a spa with 10 private treatment rooms.